Rotary engine or pump construction

Abstract

A rotary engine or pump employs a block or housing having a cylindrical cavity along the axis of which extends a cylindrical drive shaft supported on the block to permit rotation thereof. Within the cavity, parallel edge walls axially spaced apart from one another and rotatable relative to the shaft and the cavity define between them the bounds of energy chambers. Between these parallel edge walls are arranged an even number of outwardly directed imperforate movable walls with alternate movable walls being attached to and moving with one of the edge walls and intermediate movable walls being attached to and moving with the other edge wall, such that the edge walls and movable walls, the drive shaft and the cavity walls of the block form a plurality of essentially separate and non-intercommunicating energy chambers between the movable walls. The movable walls of the energy chambers are rotatable about the axis of the shaft and rotate with and, in fact, drive the shaft. Inlet and outlet port means through said block are circumferentially spaced around the circumference of the cylindrical cavity to respectively admit fluid into the successive energy chambers which pass the inlet port means as the movable walls move apart and exhaust fluid from the successive energy chambers which pass the outlet port means as the movable walls close together. The oscillation movement of the walls with respect to the shaft is translated into rotational movement of a planet gear on a radial arm fixed to the drive shaft and driving the arm and the shaft, in turn, by its progressive rotation about a sun gear fixed to the block.

I claim: 
     
       1. A rotary engine construction comprising: a housing providing a cylindrical cavity within and defined by cavity walls,   a drive shaft extending coaxially through said cylindrical cavity supported by the housing on the axis of the cavity in suitable bearings permitting rotation thereof,   an even number of imperforate movable walls extending at least between said shaft and said cavity wall such that alternate movable walls are mechanically connected to move together in a first assembly and intermediate movable walls are mechanically connected to move together in a second assembly,   sealing structures on said first and second assemblies such that the spaces between the respective movable walls form energy chambers which are mutually isolated from one another,   separate drive coupling means respectively between points on each of said first and second assemblies spaced radially outwardly from the shaft and an associated rigid radial extension from the shaft outside the energy chambers, each respective coupling means including means permitting oscillatory movement of the respective assembly relative to said rigid radial extension and timing means associated with each of the drive coupling means to assure a predetermined phasing in the movement of the movable walls relative to one another such that an integral number of oscillatory cycles occurs each full revolution of each movable wall, whereby each said coupling means is arranged to accommodate out-of-phase movements of said movable walls so that said oscillatory movement of said walls does not interfere with transmission of rotational movement to said shaft and energy from the walls is transmitted directly to the shaft,   inlet port means through the housing positioned in a wall of said cylindrical cavity to permit fluid to flow into the successive energy chambers as the walls move apart, and   outlet port means through the housing positioned in a wall of said cylindrical cavity, to permit fluid to be expelled from the successive energy chambers as the walls close together.   
     
     
       2. The engine of claim 1 in which there are four movable walls defining four energy chambers between them. 
     
     
       3. The engine of claim 2 in which there are two sets of inlet port means and two sets of outlet port means spaced alternately around the circumference of the cylindrical chamber. 
     
     
       4. The engine of claim 1 in which there are as many inlet port means and as many outlet port means, respectively, as there are movable walls in both of the first and second assemblies with the inlet port means and outlet port means alternating around the circumference of the cylindrical cavity in the aforesaid effective positions. 
     
     
       5. The engine of claim 1 in which two full cycles or four strokes are provided and in which inlet port means is positioned at a position where the movable walls start to separate and outlet port means is positioned to lie at the position where the movable walls close together for the second time after passing the inlet port means. 
     
     
       6. The engine of claim 5 in which ignition means is interposed between the inlet and outlet port means in position to fire a combustible fuel to drive the movable walls apart. 
     
     
       7. The engine of claim 1 in which a suitable system for feeding fluid to the inlet port means and a suitable system for removing fluid from the outlet port means are provided and coupled to said respective port means. 
     
     
       8. The engine system of claim 7 in which the system for feeding fluid to the inlet port supplies incompressible fluid and the inlet port means and the outlet port means is so positioned that the incompressible fluid is forced out of the energy chambers the next time the movable walls move together after they are urged apart by fluid entering the inlet port means. 
     
     
       9. The engine system of claim 7 in which the system for feeding fluid to the inlet port supplies compressible fluid. 
     
     
       10. The engine system of claim 9 in which the system for feeding fluid supplies a compressible fluid from which energy can be derived from expansion of the fluid within an energy chamber. 
     
     
       11. The engine system of claim 10 in which the system for feeding compressible fluid supplies steam. 
     
     
       12. The engine system of claim 9 in which the system for feeding compressible fluid supplies combustible mixture and in which ignition is employed within the energy chambers of the engine. 
     
     
       13. The engine system of claim 12 in which the engine employs ignition means supported in the cylindrical cavity on the housing wall in position to ignite the fluid mixture in each energy chamber at a point where the walls are able to move apart. 
     
     
       14. A rotary fluid metering pump comprising: a housing providing a cylindrical cavity within and defined by cavity walls,   a drive shaft extending coaxially through said cylindrical cavity supported by the housing on the axis of the cavity in suitable bearings permitting rotation thereof,   an even number of imperforate movable walls extending at least between said shaft and said cavity wall such that alternate movable walls are mechanically connected to move together in a first assembly and intermediate movable walls are mechanically connected to move together in a second assembly,   sealing structure on said first and second assemblies such that the spaces between the respective movable walls form energy chambers which are mutually isolated from one another,   separate drive coupling means respectively between points on each of said first and second assemblies spaced radially outwardly from the shaft and an associated rigid radial extension from the shaft outside the energy chambers, each respective coupling means including means permitting oscillatory movement of the respective assembly relative to said rigid radial extension and timing means associated with each of the drive coupling means to assure a predetermined phasing in the movement of the movable walls relative to one another such that an integral number of oscillatory cycles occurs each full revolution of each movable wall, whereby each said coupling means is arranged to accommodate out-of-phase movements of said movable walls so that said oscillatory movement of said walls does not interfere with transmission of rotational movement of said shaft, and energy from the walls is transmitted directly to the shaft,   inlet port means through the housing positioned in a wall of said cylindrical cavity to permit fluid to flow into the successive energy chambers as the walls move apart, and   outlet port means through the housing positioned in a wall of said cylindrical cavity to permit fluid to be expelled from the successive energy chambers as the walls close together.   
     
     
       15. A rotary machine construction comprising: a block providing a cylindrical cavity within and defined by cavity walls,   a drive shaft supported on the block coaxially within the cavity to permit rotation of said shaft,   parallel edge walls within said cavity axially spaced apart from one another and extending to the cavity wall, rotatable relative to said drive shaft but designed to rotate with it, and defining between them the bounds of energy chambers,   an even number of outwardly directed, imperforate movable walls extending to the cavity walls between said parallel edge walls, with alternate movable walls connected to move with one edge wall to form a first wall assembly and intermediate movable walls connected to move with the other edge wall to form a second wall assembly, to form essentially separate and non-intercommunicating energy chambers between said movable walls, which are rotatable about the axis of said shaft, the unattached end of each movable wall maintaining sliding contact with the edge walls with which it does not move,   inlet port means through said block into the cylindrical cavity positioned for admitting fluid into each of the successive energy chambers when their respective movable walls start to separate to permit flow from the inlet port means into each of the energy chambers in sequence,   outlet port means through said block from the cylindrical cavity positioned for permitting escape of spent fluid from each of the successive energy chambers when their respective movable walls begin to close together to cause flow from the energy chambers into outlet port means, and   separate drive coupling means outside the energy chambers respectively connecting each wall assembly at a point spaced radially outward from the shaft to the drive shaft through an associated rigid radial extension from the shaft, each coupling means including means permitting oscillatory movement of its wall assembly relative to said rigid radial extension and timing means associated with each of the drive coupling means to assure a predetermined phasing in the movement of the movable walls relative to one another such that an integral number of oscillatory cycles occurs each full revolution of each movable wall, for accommodating the oscillating movement of the movable walls and for driving the drive shaft, the periodic oscillatory movement of each wall assembly constituting an integral number of full position changes per revolution.   
     
     
       16. The rotary machine construction of claim 15 in which at least one of the inlet and outlet port means includes structure on the block permitting said at least one of the port means to be moved to different positions circumferentially relative to the cylindrical cavity. 
     
     
       17. The rotary machine construction of claim 16 in which at least one of the inlet and outlet port means is provided through a separate arcuate member circumferentially mating with the rest of the block to preserve a smooth cylindrical contour along the face of the cylindrical cavity and providing connection from said port to fluid channels through the block in various circumferential positions and in which means is provided to secure said separate arcuate member in selected positions. 
     
     
       18. The rotary machine construction of claim 17 in which both ports are provided through similar arcuate members. 
     
     
       19. The rotary machine construction of claim 17 in which said at least one of the port means is provided in separate arcuate members in the form of a ring coaxial with the cylindrical chamber and mating with the block in such a way that relative circumferential rotation is possible. 
     
     
       20. The rotary machine construction of claim 19 in which at least one of the inlet and outlet port means is provided in the bottom of an outwardly U-shaped opening channel at least over part of the circumference of said ring, with the open side of which channel the fluid channels through the block communicate. 
     
     
       21. The rotary machine construction of claim 19 in which the ring providing the port means carries a rack element at least part of the way around its circumference, which rack is engaged by pinion drive means rotatable on the block which repositions the port means circumferentially and aids in maintaining the selected position. 
     
     
       22. The rotary machine construction of claim 21 in which both the inlet and outlet ports have ring structures with separate pinions to drive their respective rack elements and each ring being an outwardly opening channel over at least part of its circumference with its port means through the bottom of said channel and the open side of the channel in communication with its associated fluid channel through the block. 
     
     
       23. The rotary machine constuction of claim 15 in which the block providing the cylindrical cavity is composed of pieces which are removably secured together in order to permit the assembly of the internal structure within the cylindrical cavity. 
     
     
       24. The rotary machine construction of claim 23 in which the cylindrical cavity defining a portion of the block comprises at least one cylindrical section and at least one removable end section through which the drive shaft and the rotatable structure as a whole may be assembled into an operable position. 
     
     
       25. The rotary machine construction of claim 24 in which both end sections are similar pieces, each removable from a cylindrical portion and each carrying bearings and a portion of the coupling means. 
     
     
       26. The rotary machine construction of claim 15 in which the imperforate movable walls are generally wedge-shaped in circumferential cross-section and of outward diverging form. 
     
     
       27. The rotary machine construction of claim 26 in which the movable walls are provided with sealing means at least at the outer edges to sealingly engage the cylindrical cavity of the block. 
     
     
       28. The rotary machine construction of claim 27 in which multiple sealing means are provided at the outer edges of each movable wall. 
     
     
       29. The rotary machine construction of claim 26 in which the movable walls are formed of resinous material and sealing means is provided at the outer edge as an integral resilient deformable resinous portion which extends into and is deformed by the cavity wall. 
     
     
       30. The rotary machine construction of claim 15 in which the portion of the coupling means permitting oscillatory movement includes timing means properly timing the oscillations so that rotation proceeds smoothly at an essentially constant rate of speed. 
     
     
       31. The rotary machine construction of claim 30 in which each coupling means consists of similar force transmitting and direction-changing elements between the shaft and each of the wall assemblies, including a crank means between the rigid radial extension of the shaft and the wall assembly, including a translational slide element in the radial direction in one of the elements interconnected by the crank means permitting relative oscillatory movement of the movable walls relative to the shaft. 
     
     
       32. The rotary machine construction of claim 31 in which the connection between the shaft extension and the movable wall assembly involves a crank element having parallel pin portions parallel to the axis of the shaft and a rigid connection therebetween, one of which pins is rotatably supported in one of the connected members and the other of which pins moves in a radial slot in the other member connected by the crank so that one pin portion of the crank effectively revolves about the axis of the other pin portion in order to produce the relative oscillatory movement. 
     
     
       33. The rotary machine construction of claim 32 in which the rotatable supported pin portion is in the rigid radial extension of the shaft and the slot is provided in the movable wall assembly. 
     
     
       34. The rotary machine construction of claim 33 in which the pin portion riding in the slot is provided with a rotatable bearing portion snugly engaged in the slot. 
     
     
       35. The rotary machine of claim 33 in which the crank structure is provided by an eccentric one pin of which provides the central shaft of the eccentric rotatably supported in the radial extension of the shaft. 
     
     
       36. The rotary machine construction of claim 35 in which the central shaft of the eccentric is also provided with a timing member providing a planetary element cooperable with a fixed element on the block which induces revolution of the timing member and the eccentric about the shaft relative to the fixed element on the block. 
     
     
       37. The rotary machine construction of claim 30 in which the timing means consists of at least a planetary gear on a radial extension of the drive shaft cooperable with a stationary gear on the housing. 
     
     
       38. The rotary machine construction of claim 37 in which the gear on the housing is a sun gear about which the planetary gear rides. 
     
     
       39. The rotary machine construction of claim 38 in which a plurality of planetary gears are provided located symmetrically around the shaft on other radial extensions thereof at the same radius to cooperate with the same sun gear. 
     
     
       40. The rotary machine construction of claim 39 in which each of the planetary gear shafts also carries a crank element having a parallel pin offset from the planetary gear shaft and engaged in a slot having a radial component in an element coupled to at least one of the movable walls. 
     
     
       41. The rotary machine construction of claim 40 in which two planetary gear crank assemblies are provided located diametrically opposite one another across the shaft at the same end of the movable walls and engaged in portions of the same movable wall assembly. 
     
     
       42. The rotary machine construction of claim 41 in which two movable walls are provided in each assembly and the sun gear is provided with twice as many teeth as each planetary gear. 
     
     
       43. The rotary machine construction of claim 42 in which the cranks are eccentrics supported on one of two diammetrical arms at opposite ends of the movable walls and an offset drive pin of each eccentric rides in a slot diametrically opposite the slot for the pin of the other eccentric on the same diammetrical arm. 
     
     
       44. The rotary machine construction of claim 43 in which the drive pin engaging slots extend through the edge walls into the movalbe walls and the pins in the slots are provided with suitable bearings which are snugly engaged by the walls of the slots and are rotatable relative to the drive pins. 
     
     
       45. A rotary engine construction comprising: a block providing a cylindrical cavity within and defined by cavity walls,   a drive shaft supported on the block coaxially within the cavity to permit rotation of said shaft,   parallel edge walls within said cavity axially spaced apart from one another and extending to the cavity wall, rotatable relative to said drive shaft but designed to rotate with it, and defining between them the bounds of energy chambers,   an even number of outwardy-directed imperforate movable walls extending to the cavity walls between said parallel edge walls, with alternate movable walls connected to move with one edge wall to form a first wall assembly and intermediate movable walls connected to move with the other edge wall to form a second wall assembly, to form essentially separate and non-intercommunicating energy chambers between said movable walls, which are rotatable about the axis of said shaft, the unattached end of each movable wall maintaining sliding contact with the edge wall with which it does not move,   fuel inlet port means through said block into the cylindrical cavity positioned for admitting fuel into each of the successive firing chambers when their respective movable walls start to separate to permit flow from the inlet port means into each of the energy chambers in sequence,   exhaust outlet port means through said block for permitting escape of exhaust after the fuel has been burned from each of the successive energy chambers when their respective movable walls begin to close together to cause flow from the energy chamber into the outlet port means, and   separate drive coupling means outside the energy chambers respectively connecting each wall assembly at a point spaced radially outward from the shaft to the drive shaft through an associated rigid radial extension from the shaft, each coupling means including means permitting oscillatory movement of its wall assembly relative to said rigid radial extension, and timing means associated with each of th drive coupling means to assure a predetermined phasing in the movement of the movable walls relative to one another such that an integral number of oscillatory cycles occurs each full revolution of each movable wall, for accommodating the oscillating movement of the movable walls and to drive the drive shaft, the periodic oscillatory movement of each wall assembly constituting an integral number of full position changes per revolution.   
     
     
       46. The rotary engine of claim 45 in which firing means is supported on the block so as to lie within an energy chamber after the inlet port means and before the outlet port means in the direction of rotation of the movable walls. 
     
     
       47. The rotary engine of claim 46 in which the coupling means includes a crank between a radial arm extension of the shaft and the movable wall assembly, said crank having a drive pin radially offset from a support shaft rotatably held by the arm, whereby in certain postions force may be directly transmitted from the movable wall assembly through said crank to the arm. 
     
     
       48. The rotary engine of claim 47 in which the rotatable shaft in the arm is coupled to timing means which essentially determines the rate of rotation of the shaft and resists allowing a force to move the arm faster than the timing will permit. 
     
     
       49. The rotary engine of claim 48 in which the timing means is gears, including a planetary gear on the rotatable crank shaft and a gear fixed to the housing. 
     
     
       50. The rotary engine of claim 47 in which the crank is an eccentric. 
     
     
       51. The rotary engine of claim 46 in which each of the coupling means employs a crank to connect the rigid radial extension to the movable wall assembly, the crank rotating about a pin supported in the rigid radial extension of the shaft which provides a gear axle carrying a planetary gear and a parallel pin engaged in a slot having a radial component in the wall assembly and a sun gear fixed to the block coaxially of the drive shaft around which the planetary gear runs in order to cause the rotational action of the shaft and the crank. 
     
     
       52. The rotary engine of claim 51 in which the selected gear ratio is selected to produce an even number of full oscillation of the movable walls relative to the cylindrical drive shaft for each revolution of the shaft. 
     
     
       53. The rotary engine of claim 51 in which similar coupling means is provided for each movable wall assembly but out of phase such that the movable walls cycle an even number of full cycles toward and away from each other for every revolution of the cylindrical drive shaft. 
     
     
       54. The rotary engine of claim 53 in which there are two movable walls associated with each edge wall to move with it and coupling means are located 90° out of phase with one another and each produces two full oscillations of their movable walls for each rotation of the shaft. 
     
     
       55. The rotary engine of claim 51 in which the radial extensions of the drive shaft extend in diametrically opposite directions away from the shaft and provides two identical planetary gear shafts each supporting identical planetary gears at the same radius from the axis and each providing identical cranks to produce identical movement of the edge wall and its associated movable walls.